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Monday, April 19, 2010

After a year and a half of construction, the nursing home at the Shannex Complex in Quispamsis is open for business. Several dignitaries including Premier Graham and Health Minister Schryer were on hand to cut the ribbon.

President of Shannex is Joseph Shannon and says 60 hospital beds will be freed up when the 72 bed facility opens Wednesday. Total cost of the nursing home is eleven million dollars with close to 100 staff.

The other two components, an assisted living set-up and retirement complex are still under construction.

You might remember the Shannex facility was first proposed to be built on the upper end of Millenium Drive in Rothesay before it was relocated to the end of Millenium in Quispamsis.

Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News, there are no sour grapes, admitting it would have been nice to have it but you live with what your faced with.

Bishop adds there are no solid proposals on the table for Rothesay's end of Millenium Drive but is hopeful when it is, the residents are happy with the mix of residential, commercial and plenty of green space.

A new system called Parcobus has been unveiled by the Saint John Transit and Parking Commissions.

It encourages people to park and take the bus or car-pool and includes four parking lots.They are at Golden Grove Road on Hillcrest Road, the Latimore Lake Community Center, the Lorneville Parking lot on Stinson Drive and the Loch Lomond Parking lot near St. Joseph's Church.

It's hoped the Parcobus system will help reduce CO2 emissions by 167 tonnes every year.

You will now have improved access to library services if you or someone you know suffers from a print disability. The province is spending $187,000 dollars on the new set-up where over the next six months, it hopes to remove barriers between library resources and people who are unable to read standard print due.

The goal is to expand the service model to all 63 public libraries in the province following a successful pilot project.

Both the Saint John and Kennebecasis Libraries are taking part in the program.

The task force on blood services is advising the province about the necessity of maintaining blood Services in this province and even building upon it. The next move is up to Premier Shawn Graham who tells CHSJ News, the report clearly indicates the importance of having blood services remain in the province and warns if Canadian Blood Services do not realize it then other avenues will have to be taken which include going it alone or partnering with Quebec.Graham says the infrastructure is already in place with the current facility on University Avenue and continuing to use it would be the preferred route.

The fate of the Peel Plaza development will be decided tonight at a special meeting of Common Council. Members of Common Council will first meet behind closed doors in Committee of the Whole for two hours.Nearing the end of last month, Mayor Ivan Court told our newsroom to expect an announcement concerning the new police headquarters and also said the project would be finished.Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase has blamed the costly project for the city not putting enough money into much needed roadwork and he has withdrawn his support. The majority of councillors appear to be in favour but there is sure to be intense debate at tonights public meeting, getting underway at 7 o'clock in the Council Chambers.

The Coast Guard, city fire crews and emergency medical services responding last night to what might be called a misadventure by three teens who were trying to make their way from City Line to Partridge Island. They were on the other side of the breakwater when District Fire Chief William Johnstone says one of the girls slipped and broke her leg.Johnstone says she was stabalised and then the Coast Guard brought the trio back to the Brunswicker.

Chalk up another Reach for the Top win for Kennebecasis Valley High after capturing its third consecutive University of Toronto Schools Invitational over the weekend. K-V-H-S was represented by team captain Micheal Forestell, Josh Konconvy, Alexander Maxan, Josh Outerbridge and Jordan Woods. They rolled through the round robin but had a tougher time in the semi final against Martingrove Collegiate from Etobicoke, Ontario where the lead went back and forth. In the final, K-V-H-S defeated the 2006 Canadian champions from Woburn Collegiate in Scarborough, Ontario. Both Martingrove and Woburn have programmes for gifted students but K-V-H-S has not lost in 40 straight matches.